Ulster Unionist MLA Jo-Anne Dobson is to help the Northern Ireland Transplant Forum (NITF) launch their New Lifecycle 2012 which aims to build upon last year’s hugely successful Belfast British Transplant Games.

NITF is an umbrella group of local charities whose primary aim is the promotion of organ donation to raise public awareness of its huge life-saving potential. 

The Lifecycle is a 6 day cycling event performed on consecutive days from Saturday 16th June to Thursday 21st June.  The events take place across Northern Ireland, with 6 local organising committees organising each of the event

The launch event for the Lifecycle will be held in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Tuesday 29 May at 5.00pm. 

Upper Bann MLA Mrs Dobson, whose son Mark is a successful kidney transplant patient, has had a long association with the Northern Ireland Kidney Patients' Association (NIKPA), one of the charities under the umbrella of the Transplant Forum.  Speaking ahead of the launch she said:

“The build-up to the Lifecycle has been intense.  Everyone is looking forward so much to taking part, to raising awareness of organ donation and to help raise much needed funds to help kidney patients and their families.

“NIKPA is a charitable voluntary organisation which is completely dedicated to supporting Northern Ireland's kidney patients, their families and those who care for patients. NIKPA has almost 400 members and is totally self-funding and run by kidney patients, their relatives and friends.”

It is hoped that on each day there will be transplanted patients cycling to celebrate their Gift of Life. They will be accompanied by their family members, relatives, friends, medical staff or any other cyclists who would like to support and endorse Organ Donation. Each daily route is divided into 10 mile legs and full details of the routes are available from the NIKPA website at www.nikpa.org or contact organiser William Johnston on 02891271312.